RICE Stakeholders of the Supply Chain Accelerator (SCA) Program recieving a big $10,000 check each.

RICE Awards $100,000 in Business Grants at the SCA Culmination Ceremony

We are delighted to announce that the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) has awarded $100,000 in Business Awards to 10 RICE Stakeholders  who actively participated in RICE’s 2023-2024 RICE Supply Chain Accelerator (SCA).

 

SCA  provides entrepreneurs with ongoing support beginning with an immersive, 10-month experience designed to demystify supply chain and contracting processes leaving participants prepared to do business with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies.

 

The accelerator is immersive, and expert driven with faculty including supply chain professionals and decision-makers from key RICE partners such as The Walt Disney Company, UPS, Clorox, Target, King & Spalding, The Village Market, and more. SCA helps establish long-term sustainable partnerships with corporations, meeting RICE Stakeholders where they are to take them to the next level of their business growth.

 

The selection process for the $10,000 SCA Business Awards was highly rigorous, involving a comprehensive application where RICE Stakeholders shared insights into various aspects of their businesses. Participants delved into their procurement foundations, strategic planning, operational excellence, sales and business development, and financial strategies to complete persuasive applications. Additionally, Stakeholders presented compelling business pitches, and their overall engagement in the SCA played a crucial role in the selection process. 

 

We are thrilled to congratulate the winners of the 2023-2024 Supply Chain Accelerator (SCA) Business Awards who each received $10,000 to fuel their business:

1. Kayla’s Italian Ice – Y. Theresa Bostic
2. Just for Teens – Brian Reynolds
3. Next Level Financial – Paris & James Williams
4. Aesthetic Engineering – Caiseen Ward
5. Get Real Time Feedback – Barry Love
6. EssenceTree Holistic Life – Charmaine Gibbs-West
7. International Supply Partners – Jennifer Barbosa
8. Interrüt – Jarvis Broughton
9. Life Purpose Architects – Cecily Anderson
10. Emmerse – Val Barnett

The SCA Business Awards were presented during a magical evening at RICE.  This event was not just a ceremony, but a celebration of dedication, innovation, and success. The room was filled with industry leaders, RICE Stakeholders and supporters  all gathered to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of their peers.

Enjoy photos taken by Founding 100 RICE Stakeholder Adrian Shelby here: RICE X CULMINATION CEREMONY 2.17.2024 :: Adrian Shelby Photography (sproutstudio.com)

Learn more about becoming a RICE Stakeholder and participating in our world-class programming by visiting russellcenter.org Join the waitlist now to be the first to know when RICE’s Fall Info Session registration starts.   

Terri-Nichelle Bradley

Terri-Nichelle Bradley is the Founder and CEO of Play at Brown Toy Box. Bradley believes that Black children should see themselves positively represented in every space the experience regularly, starting with their toybox and the toy aisle. Bradley, an equity in play advocate, is on a mission to disrupt the $27B toy industry by creating a brand that reflects the world we live in today. Launched in 2017 as a STEAM kit, Brown Toy Box evolved into a full-scale educational toy company producing and curating STEAM toys, media, and experiences for centering and celebrating Black children in a manner all children can enjoy, learn, and have fun. Prior to starting Brown Toy Box, Bradley led a communications consultancy working with Fortune 500 companies in campaigns designed to connect with the African American community. Prior to that, Bradley served as the VP of Corporate, Crisis, and Public Affairs for the world’s largest global PR agency. Bradley has been awarded the Civic Impact Award, was recognized as a 2019 Atlanta’s Top 100 Businesswomen of Influence by the Atlanta Business League, acknowledged on the 2020 Who’s Who in Black Atlanta list of influential leaders and most recently named to Inc. Magazine’s 2020 Female Founders 100 list. Brown Toy Box is sold in Target stores nationwide, with Amazon, over 30 museums including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture, as well as other independent specialty toy stores and retailers. Learn more at browntoybox.com

Stefan Miller

Stefan Miller is the Co-Founder and CMO for Young King Hair Care, which launched in December 2019. Young King Hair Care is a multicultural grooming and lifestyle brand company with tailored offerings catering to specific needs of young men of color. Stefan is a marketing professional with 15+ years of experience across marketing, sales and consulting in the CPG and tech industries. At Young King, Stefan has been featured in over 75+ national publications, was recognized by Mintel as one of the top US brand innovations of 2021, partnered with Disney and Marvel Studios for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and was a participant on Season 13 of ABC’s Shark Tank. Currently Young King Hair Care is available in multiple retail partners, including Target, Walmart, and CVS, selling in over 3,000 stores across the US. Prior to founding Young King Hair Care, he led business strategy and marketing communications, while launching innovations across multiple billion-dollar brands and categories at IBM, Johnson & Johnson, General Mills, Coca-Cola, and Red Bull. Stefan L. Miller Bio Stefan holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University with concentrations in Brand Marketing, Media Management and Management in Organizations, and is a proud HBCU alum of Morehouse College with a BA in Business Administration. He currently lives with his wife and co-founder Cora and 2 kids, Kade and Cree in Atlanta, Georgia. Learn more at youngkinghaircare.com

Ceata E. Lash

Ceata E. Lash, CEO and founder of PuffCuff has emerged as a pioneering figure in the natural hair accessory industry, holding the distinction of being the first African-American woman to secure four US patents in this domain. Her journey to entrepreneurship was built upon a 30-year career as a graphic designer, which laid the foundation for launching PuffCuff in 2013. Ceata’s innovative leadership has earned her prestigious accolades, including the President’s Innovation Award from Sally Beauty and the New Voices + Barefoot Wine Beauty Business Grant. These achievements have placed her among the top female founders featured in Inc. Magazine. Committed to lifelong learning and growth, Ceata has completed the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses National Cohort and was part of the inaugural Amazon Black Business Accelerator Cohort. Her recent completion of the “Building a Successful Diverse Business” program at Tuck Executive Education, Dartmouth, further underscores her dedication to continuous improvement and leadership in the business world. Learn more at thepuffcuff.com